GCCI introduces region-wide high level SME training programme locally

(www.stabroeknews.com) The Georgetown Chamber of Com-merce and Industry (GCCI) is partnering with Caribbean Export to deliver a three-day workshop with the objective of further building capacity amongst small and medium-sized enterprises.

A release from the GCCI said the July 21-23 training programme is being delivered by ProNET, a partnership between Caribbean Export and the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusam-menarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, a federal enterprise wholly owned by the German Govern-ment.

GCCI President Lance Hinds told Stabroek Business he was concerned that local small businesses seek to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by the training exercise since it was evident that a surfeit of SMEs were emerging in Guyana.

Hinds said the objective of a collaborative initiative involving Caribbean Export and the German government was “to raise the level of productivity and profitability in SMEs.” He said one of the hoped-for outcomes of the seminar was to better position owners and managers “to operate their businesses more efficiently and to become more competitive and export ready.”

The GCCI release on the seminar said that its focus will be on building the capacity of SMEs to win business investment and new export contracts to drive private sector growth and development. The release said the Chamber believed the forum was timely “especially, when countries now compete on high value-added products.” It added that having the right mix of skills and know how is essential to staying ahead on global competitors.

The programme is currently in its second and third phases in all of the Caribbean countries and Hinds said the Chamber “felt strongly that it should be introduced locally.”